The Fourth with Friends
by alynwa
Summary: Denny and Alan have a few people over for a cookout.


Alan walked into the kitchen to find Denny engrossed in a conversation with his cook. "Hi, Denny. I was looking for you. Do you want to go to the movies this afternoon?"

"Not really; Olympia and I are working on the final menu and shopping list for the cookout tomorrow. Come take a look. See if we left anything out."

"Oh. Alright." The younger man walked to the kitchen table and pulled up a chair. Denny slid the clipboard to him and he picked it up to peruse it. "Hmmm, let's see. Burgers, franks, pickles, relish, catsup, assorted rolls and buns, steaks, potatoes, chicken wings, macaroni, lettuce…" He went silent and continued to read. "Good _grief! _How much food are you planning on serving? Have more people been invited that I don't know about?"

Denny smiled at his husband. "No, it's still Carl and Shirley, Jerry and Katie, Clarence and Claire. You've been to a cookout of mine before! The only thing that's different now is this is your first one as Alan Crane so you're seeing behind the scenes. Enough food will be made that no one will have to cook before Sunday."

Alan shook his head at the enormity of the list. "I suppose so," he mused. He looked at Rodeo, the house Major Domo and Olympia's husband. "I take it you will be supervising the shopping?"

"I will," Rodeo answered as he glanced at his watch. "It is 9:30. Dave should have the SUV in front of the house. I told him we would be leaving when morning rush hour is over. Denny, if there's nothing more to add, Olympia and I need to get started."

"Alan?"

Alan handed the clipboard to Rodeo. "There is enough food listed there to feed the 101st Airborne! No, I can't think of another thing to add."

Olympia took her husband's arm and stood. "We will be gone about three hours. There is cold fried chicken in the fridge along with some cold cuts for sandwiches." The two staff exited through the kitchen door to the backyard to walk around to the driveway.

Alan reached for the coffee and refreshed the mug he had been carrying. "Coffee, Denny?" When the older Crane shook his head _no_, Alan remarked, "Sounds like we don't have to wonder what's for lunch."

"It's tradition. Olympia will spend all afternoon once she returns making salads and prepping the food for tomorrow. Once she starts that, we, staff included, are on our own. We'll go out for dinner, wherever you want."

"Is there anything we need to be doing to prepare for tomorrow? I'm starting to feel a little guilty."

Denny laughed, "That's that 'blue collar work ethic' rearing its ugly head. You can select movies to watch in the screening room. The staff sets everything up outside and inside. If it makes you feel better, remember everyone takes turns cooking at the grill."

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The next morning, Alan awoke to find the bed empty. He looked at the clock and shook his head to clear it and looked again. It still read 9:38. _What?, _he thought as he climbed out from beneath the comforter and sheets into the cool of the air – conditioning. _Maybe I need to go back to work! I'm getting soft; how did he get up and not wake me? _He used the bathroom, showered and brushed his teeth before throwing on jeans and a T – shirt and heading downstairs. Heading toward the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of Denny outside with Rodeo and went outside to meet them. "Good morning!" he called as he stepped down onto the lawn.

The two men turned and smiled at him. "Good morning!" they said in unison. Rodeo discreetly moved off to continue supervising the staff as Alan approached.

"I was going to come upstairs to get you if you slept much longer," Denny said as he sipped his coffee, "Remember, people will start coming around 12:30 or 1:00. Where are the movies you picked out?"

Alan reached out and took Denny's cup from him. Taking a slurp before handing it back he answered, "In the basement in the screening room. Are people invited to spend the night?"

Denny led the way into the house. "Everyone was asked, but they've all hired drivers to take them home. You're the only one who ever accepted that invitation."

"And now, I live here! Oh, the irony!"

Denny shook his head. "Mr. Crane, you are a very odd young man," he teased.

"And yet, you married me anyway."

A few hours later found Denny happily moving around their property entertaining their guests while Alan and Jerry were taking a turn at the grill flipping burgers and rolling franks. "Jerry, I noticed that you and Katie seem quite…_thrilled _to be in each other's company. I take it your relationship is going well?"

Jerry hopped up and down, causing the burger he was about to flip to fly off the spatula and land on the grass. "Suh, suh, sorry, Alan," he stuttered, "I didn't mean to do that."

Alan bent over and threw the burger in the trash. "Not to worry, there is more than enough food here. Was my question too personal?"

Jerry checked quickly to see if anyone else was within earshot and then leaned in to say, "Alan, I can tell you that the time I spent with that sex therapist you referred me to has paid off _big time._ _Purrrrrrrr!"_

"You mean…?" At Jerry's enthusiastic headshake and hop, Alan clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Good for you! I'm so happy for you, Jerry! Both of you!"

"_What_ are you so happy about?" Carl asked as he and Denny walked over to the barbecue pit.

Alan looked at Jerry and winked. "We were just saying how beautiful Claire, Shirley and Katie look in their bathing suits."

Denny looked appreciatively at the trio of women splashing around in the pool. "We are lucky men, indeed."

"Uh, Denny," Carl tapped him on the shoulder, "Jerry, Clarence and I; _we _are the lucky men. Those are _our _women."

"Swimming in _my _pool. You're welcome. Denny Crane!" He turned and ruffled Alan's hair and then took the barbecue fork from his hand. "It's our turn at the grill. You and Jerry go find something to amuse yourselves."

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Clarice was strutting her stuff and singing "America the Beautiful" for the rest of the guests. The sun had set and everyone was starting to feel the effects of all the eating and drinking that marked a Crane cookout. Olympia, who had been celebrating the holiday with her husband and the rest of the household staff in the servants' quarters, had come over as the main event was winding down to start wrapping up the food. Each couple was being sent home with carefully packed containers, placed in insulated bags, of everything that had been served so that no one had to worry about cooking for at least two days.

Clarice finished singing and then transformed back into Clarence and went to sit next to Claire as the rest of the party applauded wildly. Alan stood and said, "I think I speak for all of us when I say that Clarice's version of that song put Ray Charles' to shame. On behalf of my husband and myself, I want to thank you all for making this Fourth such a memorable event. Denny and I have one more trick up our sleeve. If you will be so kind as to look this way…"

The fireworks display started and went on for fifteen minutes to the "oohs" and "aahs" of all assembled. The finale was a fireworks display spelling out "Alan and Denny Crane!" in red, white and blue. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.

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Soon after their guests had gone home, Denny and Alan were sitting up in bed sipping their nightcaps and talking about the day. As much as they loved their friends coming over and spending the day, they truly enjoyed being in each other's company; it was their favorite part of their marriage.

"Denny, Jerry told me today that he and Katie have consummated their relationship."

"Really? That's good, very good. I knew you had arranged for him to have sex with a hooker."

"She was not a hooker, Denny, she was a sex therapist and she obviously helped Jerry get over his problems with intimacy. I'm glad the police arresting them for prostitution didn't scar him for life." He finished his drink and placed the glass on his night table. "I am exhausted. I have to get some sleep."

Denny upended his glass and polished off the contents. "Me, too." He turned out his lamp and slid down under the covers. He grunted in contentment when Alan moved over and put his head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around the younger man and said, "Alan, I know you'd deny it to anyone who cared to listen, but _I _know you have a beautiful loving heart andI'm really happy that you're my husband. You know that, don't you?"

"I do, Denny." Alan lifted his head and smiled at the man who had changed his life so profoundly with his friendship. "I'm happy, too, but let's keep my 'beautiful and loving heart' between us. It would ruin my image if that became common knowledge. Deal?"

Denny patted Alan's back and chuckled, "Deal. It's been a wonderful day. Goodnight, Alan."

"Goodnight."


End file.
